Ellie Walker
Many people thought Ellie Walker was crazy when December '05 found her perusing the CDC website for internship opportunities. One of her professors even said it was unusual for her to do so since I was a freshman and still learning how to survive college life. Nevertheless, she interviewed for and received an internship at Affiliated Counseling Center in Fridley, MN. Never having been an intern before, she didn't know what to expect on her first day at the office. It was not long before she was set to work as a secretary and was responsible for filing paperwork, calling insurance companies, answering phones, doing research for the counselors, writing the monthly newsletter, sending out insurance claims, and restocking the cup supply at the water cooler. Secretarial work may sound boring, but it put her in contact with the counselors who work at Affiliated--the people doing what she eventually hopes to do. Ellie loved talking with the counselors about what their jobs really entail. These discussions helped her narrow her focus on where she wants her career path to lead as she learned what it is actually like to be a counselor. Ellie says she feels a lot more focused now, and very grateful that Affiliated hired her even though she was "just a freshman." Ellie’s words of advice are to never let anyone call you "just a freshman." If you are determined and willing to work hard, there is no limit to what you can do. As for Ellie, her supervisors at Affiliated were so unwilling to see her go when the internship ended that she is now working there as a paid employee. Ellie said she honestly believes that doing an internship when I did was one of the best decisions she could have made to further her academic career.
Lydia Bohn
Lydia Bohn had an internship with Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington Counties, a non-profit in St. Paul that works to reduce poverty. Shortly before her time at Hamline she had won a $25,000 essay contest by writing about her experience of volunteering in the inner-city. Lydia brought every penny of the contest money to Community Action and created a program called Students Volunteering. She began building partnerships between Community Action and other local colleges and universities. She met with Service Learning coordinators, executive directors of other local non-profits, and many students to help build the program. Lydia then began recruiting students from all walks of life and all areas of interest to come together and volunteer in the community. She found mentors both at Hamline and at my internship site that have helped her to grow professionally and personally. Her faculty advisor at Hamline helped her to connect the internship to her studies through conversation and guidance. Because of the internship experience, Lydia said she has found new interests and passions that have helped her to select a major, and lead her in the right path for success after she graduates from Hamline.
Lydia says she is passionate about what she has completed after only a year at Hamline because of her internship experience. She believes it is a great way to learn about yourself and your community, and they help make choosing a career less scary.
